Monday 4 May 2009 10.23 EDT
First published on Monday 4 May 2009 10.23 EDT

David Moyes, the Everton manager, is pleased with his side's progress this season and has paid tribute to the club for affording him the time required to nurture his long-term plans.

With Aston Villa still to play Hull this evening, Moyes's side provisionally moved up to fifth place in the Premier League after yesterday's 2–0 defeat of Sunderland. Everton have already secured European qualification and a trip to Wembley for the FA Cup final at the end of the month.

That they have achieved their success despite injuries to key players such as Mikel Arteta, Yakubu Ayegbeni and, most recently, Phil Jagielka is testament to the spirit fostered by a manager who was recently described by the club's chairman, Bill Kenwright, as the best in the world.

However, Moyes is just as grateful to the club for giving him the time required to build his current side. "We are probably doing what I hoped we would do, but I have been here seven years now," said Moyes. "A lot of managers don't get that opportunity to do seven years. If more got the opportunity, then they could stabilise their football club and set down some good foundations.

"I have been really lucky from that side. But I do understand you need to win games as well along the road to give yourself a chance."

Moyes took over at Goodison Park in March 2002, and presided over a desperate fight for top-flight survival during the 2003-04 season. However, having cleared that early hurdle, he has built slowly and solidly to the point where three top-six finishes in four years and another on the way have established the club as one of the main challengers to the so-called big four.

They stated their credentials eloquently once again at the Stadium of Light as they cruised to victory against a Sunderland side struggling for form and confidence. From the moment the impressive Steven Pienaar capitalised on his side's dominance to put the visitors ahead three minutes after the break, there was only one likely outcome.

Marouane Fellaini's 71st-minute strike secured the points and sparked a mass exodus of home supporters as Everton moved eight points clear of seventh-placed West Ham with just three games to play.

"I wanted to get a result," said Moyes. "We have not won away from home for a while. We have had a few really good draws away from home, but we have not won away from home since January or so, so it was important to do that."

Moyes has now warned his players they must raise their standards to even higher levels if they are to finish the season the way they would want to. FA Cup final places are up for grabs, but he insists minds must remain focused on the conclusion to the league campaign before anyone starts to think about their big day out in London.

He said: "They have to be because the league is the bread and butter, it always will be. What we have got is a bit of icing on the cake at the end of the month with the final. But I want us to do well in the games leading up to it so we can go into it with some momentum and playing well."